Late Cretaceous European theropod palaeobiodiversity, palaeobiogeography and the intra-Maastrichtian faunal turnover: new contributions from the Iberian fossil site of Laño

A total of 227 theropod teeth have so far been recovered from the late Campanian Laño site (northern Iberian Peninsula). The teeth were studied for their qualitative and quantitative features. From the theropod sample found at Laño, seven morphotypes attributed to five taxa are identified: a medium to large abelisaurid (Arcovenator sp.) and four small coelurosaurians (Dromaeosauridae indet., Paraves indet., cf. Paronychodon sp. and cf. Richardoestesia sp.). Together with the ground bird Gargantuavis and a possible ornithomimosaur, the theropod fauna of Laño might be composed of two medium- to large-sized non-avian theropods, four small-bodied non-avian theropods and a large terrestrial bird. This makes the Laño site the richest and most diverse latest Cretaceous theropod site of Europe. Furthermore, the Laño site and the Late Cretaceous localities of Europe that have yielded theropod remains suggest that the medium- to large-sized theropods were abelisaurids or indeterminate theropods. ...